Heritage Language: Korean
Introduction
Sample of The Korean Language
The Korean Language ranked 10th place in the list of top ten home languages spoken
in Toronto with 23,785 mother tongue speakers in 2006. Although Toronto contains a
high number of Korean speakers, the number of members of the
Korean ethnic group ranked at the 20th place in Top 20 Ethnic Origins in the City of
Toronto in 2006.
Due to the large amount of Korean speakers in Toronto there are
many communities and areas in which speakers of the Korean language
reside. There is also a variety of institutions and areas in Toronto that provide Korean language
speakers with the resources needed to be immersed in the language. For Korean speakers
In Toronto there are four large churches, many community centers, and multiple businesses that provided services
and language courses in Korean. Koreatown, also known as the Korean Business Improvement
Area, is a popular place for Korean business, entertainment, food, and
resources. Many post-secondary institutions provide Korean language courses such as
the University of Toronto East Asian Studies Department. Other institutions such as
language schools provide Korean speakers the resources needed to obtain knowledge of
the Korean language. The visible minority population of Koreans in Toronto is 16,340 males and 17,875
females which combined create a total of 34,215 ethnically visible Koreans in Toronto
in 2006.
Koreatown
West Koreatown
There are many places in Toronto where one can socialize, converse, and conduct
business in the Korean language. One popular place in Toronto is Koreatown located on
Bloor Street West in between Christie Street and Bathurst Street. Koreatown contains
many Korean language entertainment stores, restaurants, grocery stores, local shops,
fashion boutiques, and other businesses. Toronto is home to two unique Koreatowns
and either one can help anybody to learn more about the Korean language and culture.
For more information on Toronto’s Korean Business Area visit the Koreatown website at
http://www.koreatownbia.com/koreatown/index.html
Authors: Han Sang-Ah, Ronnie Bhaskar, and Priscilla Burley